The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) partnered with Smithsonian Folkways Recordings to create the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap. The box set chronicles Hip Hop’s cultural impact from 1979 to 2013.
“Born in the Bronx and raised across the American West and South, Hip Hop is one of the most influential genres of music in the modern era,” said Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mellon Director of NMAAHC.
Young adds, “Through beats, dynamic rhymes, and pointed lyricism, Hip Hop has provided a platform for communities and generations to voice their ongoing struggles and has changed society and culture around the world.”
Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap is the latest addition to the Smithsonian African American Legacy Series which also includes Anthology of American Folk Music and Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology. The new Hip Hop anthology includes nine CDs as well as a 300-page coffee table book featuring eleven essays from prominent music scholars, authors, and journalists.
The thoroughly researched project was produced over seven years beginning in 2014. Noted Hip Hop figures such as Chuck D, MC Lyte, Questlove, and 9th Wonder were among the key figures on the executive committee for the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap.
The 9-disk Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap contains songs by Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, LL Cool J, Eric B. & Rakim, MC Lyte, N.W.A., Queen Latifah, Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, Salt-N-Pepa, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, Lil Kim, Master P, Missy Elliot, Lauryn Hill, DMX, Eminem, OutKast, 50 Cent, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, Drake, and many more acts.
Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap is said to be the first rap music compilation with songs from all three major record companies. Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group contributed records to the project.
“We wanted the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap to be reflective of the culture, of the music, of the people, of everything that is part of Hip Hop,” said Dwandalyn R. Reece, NMAAHC’s associate director for curatorial affairs, curator of music and performing arts and producer of the anthology.
Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and Smithsonian Folkways Recordings’ Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap is available for pre-order now. It is scheduled for release on August 20.
Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap Full Tracklist
Disc 1
- Fatback – King Tim III
- Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight
- The Sequence – Funk You Up
- Kurtis Blow – The Breaks
- Funky Four +1 – That’s the Joint
- Spoonie Gee feat. The Sequence – Monster Jam
- Treacherous Three – The Body Rock
- Blondie – Rapture
- Grandmaster Flash – The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel
- Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock
Disc 2
- Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – The Message
- The Fearless Four – Rockin It
- Cold Crush Brothers – Punk Rock Rap
- Herbie Hancock – Rockit
- Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Looking for the Perfect Beat
- Run-DMC – It’s Like That
- Whodini – Friends
- Cold Crush Brothers – Fresh, Fly, Wild & Bold
- T. La Rock – It’s Yours
- The World’s Famous Supreme Team – Hey! DJ
- Newcleus – Jam On It
- UTFO – Roxanne, Roxanne
Disc 3
- Roxanne Shanté – Roxanne’s Revenge
- Fat Boys – Fat Boys
- Doug E. Fresh & MC Ricky D – La Di Da Di
- LL Cool J – I Can’t Live without my Radio
- Schoolly D – P.S.K. ‘What Does It Mean?’
- Run-DMC feat. Aerosmith – Walk This Way
- Beastie Boys – Paul Revere
- Ultramagnetic MC’s – Ego Tripping
- Ice-T – 6 ‘N The Mornin’
- Kool Moe Dee – How Ya Like Me Now
- LL Cool J – I Need Love
- Eric B feat. Rakim – Eric B is President
- Mantronix – King of The Beats
Disc 4
- Stetsasonic feat. the Rev. Jesse Jackson & Olatunji – A.F.R.I.C.A.
- Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Parents Just Don’t Understand
- Audio Two – Top Billin’
- MC Lyte – Lyte As A Rock
- Big Daddy Kane – Raw
- Marley Marl feat. Master Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, & Big Daddy Kane – The Symphony
- MC Lyte – I Cram to Understand U (Sam)
- Tone Lōc – Wild Thing
- Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock – It Takes Two
- Jungle Brothers – I’ll House You
- N.W.A. – F### Tha Police
- Public Enemy – Fight the Power
- The Stop the Violence Movement – Self Destruction
- Too Short – Life Is…Too Short
- Slick Rick – Children’s Story
- 3rd Bass – The Gas Face
Disc 5
- Queen Latifah feat. Monie Love – Ladies First
- Public Enemy – Bring the Noise
- De La Soul – Me Myself and I
- Biz Markie – Just a Friend
- The D.O.C. – It’s Funky Enough
- 2 Live Crew – Me So Horny
- Digital Underground – The Humpty Dance
- MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This
- Vanilla Ice – Ice Ice Baby
- Brand Nubian – All for One
- Geto Boys – Mind Playing Tricks on Me
- A Tribe Called Quest – Scenario
- Black Sheep – The Choice is Yours
- Salt-N-Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex
- Yo-Yo feat. Ice-Cube – Can’t Play with My Yo-Yo
- Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.
Disc 6
- Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang
- Ice Cube – It Was a Good Day
- Sir Mix-A-Lot – Baby Got Back
- Arrested Development – Tennessee
- Digable Planets – Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
- House of Pain – Jump Around
- Positive K – I Got a Man
- Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
- UGK – Pocket Full of Stones
- Wu-Tang Clan – C.R.E.A.M.
- Cypress Hill – Insane In The Brain
- The Pharcyde – Passin’ Me By
- Eightball & MJG – Comin Out Hard
- Common Sense – I Used to Love H.E.R.
- Da Brat – Funkdafied
- Nas – N.Y. State of Mind
- Craig Mack feat. The Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes – Flava In Your Ear
Disc 7
- Beastie Boys – Sabotage
- The Notorious B.I.G. – Juicy
- Gang Starr feat. Nice & Smooth – DWYCK
- Warren G feat. Nate Dogg – Regulate
- Snoop Doggy Dogg – Murder Was The Case
- E-40 feat. Suga T – Sprinkle Me
- Goodie Mob – Cell Therapy
- Coolio feat. L.V. – Gangsta’s Paradise
- 2Pac – Dear Mama
- Mobb Deep – Shook Ones, Part 2
- Method Man feat. Mary J. Blige – I’ll Be There For You / You’re All I Need To Get By
- Foxy Brown feat. Jay-Z – I’ll Be
- Lil Kim feat. Puff Daddy – No Time
- Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Tha Crossroads
- Wu-Tang Clan feat. Cappadonna – Triumph
- Busta Rhymes – Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See
- Master P feat. Silkk The Shocker, Mia X, Fiend – Make ‘Em Say Uhh!
Disc 8
- Missy Elliot – The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
- Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing)
- DMX – Ruff Ryders’ Anthem
- The Roots – The Next Movement
- Mos Def – Mathematics
- BG – Bling Bling
- dead prez – Hip Hop
- Eminem feat. Dido – Stan
- OutKast – Ms. Jackson
- Nelly – Country Grammar (Hot S###)
- Ludacris feat. Pharrell – Southern Hospitality
- Nas – One Mic
- 50 Cent – In Da Club
- Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz feat. Ying Yang Twins – Get Low
Disc 9
- Talib Kweli – Black Girl Pain
- Kanye West – Jesus Walks
- Three 6 Mafia feat. Young Buck, Eightball & MJG – Stay Fly
- Rick Ross – Hustlin’
- Lupe Fiasco feat. Nikki Jean – Hip-Hop Saved My Life
- Young Jezzy feat. Nas – My President
- David Banner feat. Chris Brown & Yung Joc – Get Like Me
- Lil Wayne feat. Robin Thicke – Tie My Hands
- Jay Electronica – Exhibit C
- Nicki Minaj – Super Bass
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz – Thrift Shop
- J Cole feat. TLC – Crooked Smile
- Kanye West – Blood On The Leaves
- Drake – Started From the Bottom